Juggling Elephants Blog

While you definitely need to be the ringmaster of your circus, the person you report to at work would also be considered a ringmaster. They are charged with the responsibility of making sure the acts within the organization and/or department run smoothly, and that the performers are functioning with a high degree of success.

Margaret Steen gives some sound advice on making sure you stay on your boss's "Top Performer" list. She highlights 10 habits we need to develop in her article, 10 Habits That Bosses Love. Some of the key ones include:

• Anticipate the boss's needs. Like you, their lineup is full of acts, and if you make their life easier, it's usually appreciated.
• Think one level up. You need to do your job, but also try to take on the mindset of the person above you. What do things look like from their perspective?
• Be engaged in your work. Offer ideas for improvement instead of just "doing your job." Within reason, don't be afraid to challenge the status quo when you deem necessary.
• Learn the boss's pet peeves-and avoid committing them.

Labels: relationships, teamwork

Whether you use these types as a guide of "who not to be in the workplace", as an analysis of your work team, or just for a laugh, they are quite insightful. Enjoy!

http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/career-articles-the_6_most_
annoying_coworkers_are_you_one-431

Labels: humor, productivity, teamwork

One of the areas of Juggling Elephants that sometimes raises the eyebrow of a reader is the chapter on building relationships. In that chapter we suggest (through the parable) that there is much to learn about building relationships from observing various circus acts. One of the acts is that of the animal trainer. "But my people aren't animals," you say. Of course not, but several of their techniques are completely applicable to improving the relationships we have with other humans (or that they have with us).

One key principle employed by many animal trainers is the saying, "It's never the animal's fault" when the animal fails to perform correctly. In general, it forces the animal trainer to reflect on their training of the animal to make sure they haven't forgotten something or encouraged the animal to develop the less than desirable behavior with their tactics.

What if, the next time you are disappointed with a co worker, you stopped and said to yourself, "It's not their fault. What could have caused this to happen?" You would focus on solutions to preventing the same failures again instead of simply blaming them. That would certainly lay the groundwork for a much more successful act the next time.

Labels: conflict resolution, teamwork

Just this week, Marion Jones, a track and field star from the US, admitted to steroid use during the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. She has apologized, returned her 5 gold medals won in the games, and received other punishment for her actions. But that's not the worst part.

Now the IOC (International Olympic Committee) is asking the US athletes who ran with her in a relay event at the Olympics to return their gold medals as well. Passion Richardson, one of the relay runners, said in an interview on CBS This Morning, "I have to suffer because of the actions of one. Not only could I lose my medal, but now my character is in question."

Hopefully none of us have such a traumatic situation in our workplace or family. However, this incident does remind us how important it is to have the full engagement (and integrity) of each team member if an act is going to be successful-and stand the test of time.

Labels: integrity, teamwork

Susan Arnold is the first woman to head a global business unit at Proctor and Gamble. In an interview about her success, she made an amazing statement. She said, "Leaders who don't set priorities can burn out their organizations."

What a powerful statement. In Juggling Elephants terms we would say that keeping the performers busy but not focusing on purpose will diminish the success of the circus. Performers need to know the "why" behind the "what." As the Ringmaster, it's your job to know the reason for the arrangement of the lineup and to communicate it to the performers.

How well do the performers in your circus know the priorities driving their acts? What can you do today to make sure you don't burn them out?

Labels: leadership, priorities, teamwork

In the Time Magazine article, "Fine Fast Food", Steve Ells, the founder of Chipotle Mexican Grill tells the story of his success. It's a great read about staying true to your purpose and always striving to improve.

The most telling quote about his success, to me, came near the end of the article. Ells writes, That's why we have been so successful. They [customers] have finally found a fast-food restaurant that has respect-for them, for their taste buds, for their sense of aesthetics, for service, for its employees and for its suppliers.

It's easy to discount some of the needs of the performers in our circus, whether it's at work or home. It takes a tremendous effort on our part and often sacrifice of some of our own needs-for a period of time to keep others fully engaged. As Ells shows in his article, however, the work can lead to a fantastic payoff for everyone. Ole'!

Labels: chipotle, purpose, teamwork

Kip Tindell, CEO of The Container Store, is accused of doing "drive-bys." In fact, he does several of them each day. And he's not in jail either.

The drive-bys referred to here are "unscheduled interactions with others." [http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2007/09/03/100172326/index.htm]. Tindell says, "A lot of people try to keep their offices quiet, but I like to hear-and encourage-loudness and laughter."

One of the key quotes from Juggling Elephants is that People often need to laugh, relax and not take themselves so seriously. Tindell knows the importance of connecting with his employees on a regular, but often unscheduled basis. Many issues or situations won't wait until a regular weekly or monthly meeting. Someone might be bogged down in a complex project and just need a quick laugh or conversation to renew their energy.

His frequent "drive-bys" most likely improve morale and help his staff stay focused on the right tasks. Did I mention that the company has produced 15%-20% annual sales growth for over 25 years?

If you are responsible for the productivity of others, maybe a few "drive-bys" like these should be in your lineup today.

Labels: communication, teamwork